The Fire Within
by StarlitUmbreon
Summary: Ariana Shiranui, a model for Venux Magazine, has tried her hardest to escape her past as an assassin. However, everything changes when she receives an encrypted message detailing the last contract she'd ever have to take. But is it worth the risk?
1. Chapter 1

The flashing of the cameras reminded me of blinking stars. The photographer pulled the camera away from his face, checking the picture on the holographic screen, one of the older models. Most people criticized his refusal to keep up with more modern trends in camera technology, but his pictures were still some of the best in the business. He motioned for me to move to the next pose. A fan blew my hair across my face, momentarily ruining the shot. An assistant rushed over, fixed my hair and scurried away again before they were scolded. This same routine continued, bursts of light accompanied with praise as I went through the motions. Finally, the photo shoot ended and I was able to relax, walking off the set in six inch stilettos.

"You were wonderful as usual, honey," the photographer complimented me.

"Thank you, Lucas. I look forward to our next collaboration," I purred, leaning down to kiss both his cheeks before walking back to the dressing room.

A flock of colorful stylists crowded around me, chattering nonstop.

"Your hair flows and shimmers like an angel!" One squealed.

"Eyes like rubies, a girl would kill for those!"

I waved them away, walking over to my bag and picking up the drink sitting beside it. I sipped on the straw, the taste of mango bubble tea flooding my mouth. Walking to a changing room, I switched from my modeling ensemble into a plain band tee from a couple decades ago and a pair of designer skinny jeans, pulling the laces on my hi-tops tight. I looked into the mirror, smiling, carefully avoiding my lengthened fangs. My five long tails twitched around my legs, silver tipped in blue. Screwing my eyes shut, I forced my tails to retreat, along with the silver ears poking through my black hair. My fangs shrank back to normal size and I flashed a devilish smile at my mirror doppleganger. After doing a final check, I opened the door to get my bag, coat, and hat. Finishing my drink, I strode outside with my bag, heading towards my favorite cafe. Almost instantly there were several new flashes; paparazzi, on the hunt for a good photo of the beautiful Ariana Shiranui.

Dodging through the throng of bloodthirsty reporter drones, I pulled my bag up over my shoulder and disappeared into the afternoon foot traffic. Without all the makeup and fancy clothes, no one recognized me, even as I passed an advertisement with my face on it. I walked a few blocks down the sidewalk, gazing at the white walled buildings. Trees dotted the sidewalks and rooftops and vines climbed up the face of the walls artfully, forming pictures and living paintings. A variety of Grass type Pokemon and their partners tended the plants with the patience and love of a parent. I smiled at each one of them, seeing them smile back and watching my as my points within the Business Tier went up, pulling me closer to the next rank.

I continued on my way until I reached a cafe with a sign poking out of the wall, the holographic picture showing the brewing of coffee and the various muffins and cookies on sale. I ducked inside, inhaling the rich scent of coffee beans and spices. One thing that I'm glad has carried on throughout these past few hundred years is coffee; I don't know where I'd be without caffeine. I walked up to the counter and smiled at the barista.

"The usual please, Samantha. You know how I like it."

"Of course, Ms. Shiranui. One dark chocolate double espresso iced coffee coming right up!"

I watched as she pressed the desired buttons on the machine behind her and returned to the register.

"That'll be 300 PokeDollars, Ms. Shiranui."

"Samantha, you know you can just call me Ari. You've been making my coffee for six months. I thought we'd be on a first name basis by now," I teased as I ran my arm under the red scanner, the light illuminating the unique symbol on my inner wrist. The light turned green and Sam smiled at me.

"Regardless, it's company policy that no matter what relationship you have with a customer, they are always to be addressed with their proper title. Get me out from behind this counter, then I'll call you by your first name," she smiled, then turned to the machine behind her as it beeped twice. She slid down a door and behind it stood my coffee; the whipped cream on top beckoned to me. She took the cup from the machine and handed me a straw and napkin to go with it.

"Enjoy your coffee, Ms. Shiranui."

I smiled and took the cup, practically skipping to the lounge area by the window. I settled into a comfortable round chair that turned on and began to gently vibrate against my back. I sighed in happiness, sipping on the bittersweet, coffee as I looked out the window and contemplated what I would do next. The other customers within the coffee shop all enjoyed the calm atmosphere, their Pokemon relaxing with them. One older lady had a Delcatty that was curled up in the chair beside her, sleeping peacefully as her partner stroked its fur. A younger couple sat at a two person table, talking quietly while looking into the other's eyes, their Pokemon under the table playing with each other, a Ribombee fluttering around a bored looking Luxio. I turned to look out the window, watching the passersby.

The people of this time period all looked different. The latest fashion trend seemed to be taking on the characteristics of their partner Pokemon. One such example passed outside the cafe; a young girl with mint green hair, pinned back by two red bows, and a white ballerina outfit waltzed by with her Kirlia, both laughing loudly. The sight brought a smile to my face and I hoped that she continued to be as innocent as she was then. More people passed, some who had no modifications at all, just plain colored hair and the normal outfits of the time, white and gray jumpsuits with knee high boots or sneakers. Others had brightly colored hair, blues and greens and pinks, and skin modifications. Just sitting in the cafe, I had seen five people with scale grafts in varying colors, two with the appearance of a dragon, and one with a long blue tail that fanned out like a fish and a blue frill around her neck that matched that of the Vaporeon walking beside her.

Growing bored of it, I looked down at my left arm and pressed lightly on the symbol on my wrist. A screen appeared over my arm, depicting my rank and current location. Scrolling through my notifications, I found that I had a direct message that was encrypted. Several alarm bells went off in my head as I frowned at the offending message. Tucking it away in a private archive, I noticed that there was a message from the photographer of the photo shoot today. Opening it, I found many photos of me in various poses against the preferred background. In each shot I looked like the sultry vixen of Venux Magazine. I smiled; another job well done.

Looking down at my coffee, I noticed that some of the drink had dribbled down the side. Grabbing the napkin, I opened it up and saw a symbol on the napkin and a note underneath that said to give Samantha a ring after work. I looked up and saw her watching me. She waved and smiled at me, mouthing that she got off at five. I nodded back and pressed the symbol on the inside of my wrist, pulling up the symbol scanner. Each symbol was unique to each person alive and it was our identification. One only had to scan another's symbol and you would have access to messaging and video calling with that person. After finishing that task, I got up and left the cafe, waving to Samantha on the way out, and headed home.

The walk home was uneventful. No one recognized me from the billboards, no one stopped to ask me questions, it was just quiet. As I got closer and closer to home, I could feel my tails want to appear and my teeth began to ache as I forced them to stay hidden. Being in this form was the hardest. Finally I made it to my apartments, striding through the door and smiling at the doorman and his partner, Linoone.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Shiranui," the doorman said, tipping his hat and smiling.

"Hello, Mr. Barrian. It's good to see you!" I smiled back and went to the platform that would lead to my apartment.

As I stepped on the platform, the light inside turned green and a glass wall closed behind me before lifting into the air and going up a few storeys. After arriving at the correct floor, the platform moved from the lift shaft and into a series of hallways that would take me directly to my door.

"Apartment 32B. Please enjoy the rest of your evening, Ms. Shiranui," an automated voice announced as the door in front of me opened.

The inside of my apartment was a welcome sight. The couch seemed to beckon to me and I gladly walked over to it after hanging up my bag. I fell face down onto the cushions and groaned loudly. Without my willpower to keep them in check, my tails grew out of my lower back, my ears moved up to the crown of my head, and my fangs lengthened. The whole process made my body hurt where things were changing. But the process only lasted for a few seconds. I sighed in relief afterwards and relaxed, wishing I could just melt into the cushions. After laying there for a couple of seconds, I sat up and rubbed my temples to get rid of any of the lasting pain. Noticing how hungry I had become, I walked into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich, turning to survey my apartment while I ate.

Furniture in comforting browns and blacks, wooden walls covered in watercolor paintings, and red and orange accent pillows dotted the room. Looking towards the fireplace - of course not a real one - I spied the large Pokemon bed and debated relinquishing control for a moment. The thought was tempting but I pushed it aside as I remembered the encrypted message from earlier. After finishing my meal, I reached inside the fridge to get a cold drink, then walked back into the living room, plopping down on the couch to take off my shoes before stretching out across the cushions. Pulling up the message, I looked at it for a moment.

"Computer, switch to private mode. Admin Shiranui."

The display glitched for a second then settled in an almost identical state, the only difference being the lock icon towards the top corner. I took a deep breath and opened the encrypted message. I scanned the mixture of symbols and numbers that were scattered across the screen, immediately recognizing the code and decrypting it in my head. It read:

"Ariana Shiranui. The Military Tier Commander in Chief is your target, and any who take their place. If you fail to deliver, we will reveal your best-kept secrets to the public, forever ruining your life. If you succeed however, you will have more riches than you can ever imagine and you will never want for anything again. Further information will be sent after the first assassination, and we will know should you fail.

You have one month."

My eyes widened as I read the contract. In all the four hundred years I'd been taking contracts, I'd never seen one like this . It certainly wasn't one that could be ignored either. I sighed and leaned my head back against the arm of the couch, closing the message and running my hands through my hair. Memories of past contracts and assassinations sprang to the forefront of my mind. The threats within the message bothered me and the target in particular would be a problem. Alii stirred to life in my mind, pleasantly surprised by the target but eager for the challenge. I was worried though. It would be difficult to kill the Commander in Chief. Unheard of even. But the threats within the contract couldn't be taken lightly, even if it was just a bluff.

Groaning loudly, I got up and walked to my room, going to the mirror to see the cold assassin staring back at me, breathing fire in excitement. Alii effortlessly slid into control, the Ninetales side of me shivering as she regained feeling. She began going over the contents of the message herself, pulling up the contract and growling softly at the threat of being exposed. Everything about Alii was cold, methodical, meticulous. Walking to a chest at the end of my bed, she pushed it aside, revealing smooth floor underneath. At the touch of her hand, the floor clicked open and inside lay a black jumpsuit covered in scales and a silver knife. Alii lovingly slid the deadly weapon between her fingers, the symbols carved into the metal glowing a soft blue as the darker part of me pushed fire into the blade.

There was no going back now.

 **Finally found the motivation to write again! A big thanks to Wolfsthrope for helping me write this story and establishing a new universe within the Pokemon franchise. Read and review!**

 **~Bree**


	2. Chapter 2

"Computer, switch to private mode. Admin Shiranui."

Alii opened her eyes, looking into the mirror and staring back into her red eyes. Reaching up, she ran her hand through her short black hair. She smirked, a glint of fang showing, then stretched, shaking out her arms and tails. They twitched in excitement at the thought of going to see her contact again. Turning away from the mirror, Alii pushed aside the chest at the end of my bed and opened the compartment underneath, taking out the suit and knife within. Closing it again, she held the suit in her hands and pressed a button near the collar. The suit shivered while the scales flipped and turned before turning to a soft material, almost the consistency of water. It began to move up Alii's hands, encasing her arms and spreading to her torso, covering her entirely from the neck down. Alii purred in response to having the suit back on. It had only been a few days since the contract had come in and Alii had prepared everything, calling her contact for weapons and gear for the infiltration, practicing her combat, and planning for the event. Walking back to the mirror, she looked at her reflection. The suit covered every inch of her body, excepting her tails, in black scales and formed a sheath on her thigh that she stuck her blade into.

Pausing to check the time left on the two hours of private mode, Alii strode out of the bedroom and to a door on the outer wall, opening it with a retina scan and walking through. Inside, the walls lit up to reveal my maglev bike. The cycle's every line was smooth, every curve designed for maximum efficiency through the city traffic. Silver accents dotted the almost entirely black vehicle, giving it a glow, even in the darkness. Alii ran her hand over the metal appreciatively, the display coming to life in front of her. The darker side of me threw her leg over the seat and leaned forward, a tinted covering sliding over her head, concealing who lay within. A tunnel opened, leading outside. Revving the engine, Alii urged the maglev through the tunnel, a trail of sparks disappearing behind her as the cycle sped into the night.

The maglev flew through the air, the magnets in the grid below propelling the cycle at extremely high velocity. Alii grinned, enjoying the feel of the motor beneath her respond to her slightest touch. She drove to the agreed upon meeting place, setting the cycle down silently. Getting up from her cycle, the display flickered into sleep mode, the lights turning off completely until the bike could hardly be discerned from the shadows. Giving the vehicle one last loving glance, she turned and strode into the old warehouse her contact had chosen.

Alii walked inside, surveying the interior. Lines of shelves stretched as far as the eye could see with a variety of different items, most looking to be at home in a museum rather than a warehouse gathering dust. Spying her contact, Alii walked towards the table he had set up under a spotlight, a two briefcases resting on top of it. Her contact stood behind the table, arms crossed as he waited for her arrival. She strode up to the table, stopping opposite her contact, an older man with graying hair and permanent scowl. He smelled of cigars today, perhaps a new hobby. The man looked her up and down, recognizing his own technology and smiling for a second.

"Thought you'd given this up, Aegis. Imagine my surprise when I get a message from the top model of Venux magazine, saying that she needs some gear for another contract." The man coughed, not able to say anything as he seemed to hack up a lung. Alii raised an eyebrow at him, her face remaining impassive otherwise.

"Taken up cigars. Those bastards will kill you. I don't suggest it. Too late for me though. Anyway, you're not here to worry about my health. You're here for some gear." The man turned to the briefcases, reaching down to unlock them, the locks springing open. He opened the top, spinning the case around towards Alii to display the technology inside.

"Those are the reconnaissance cameras and mics that you requested. Undetectable, even by those blasted holoscanners they use in the skyports.. They'll provide you with 24 hour surveillance and only connect to this computer." He pointed at a tablet in the case. "The chip in your neck makes things difficult though. I can't do anything about that. Sorry. You'll be on your own to use your two hours to figure out when you'll do things."

Alii growled softly at him, but he raised a hand to wave it away. He moved to the second case, unlocking and unveiling that one. Inside were a variety of weapons and incapacitants; guns, blades, smoke bombs, plastic explosives, and a plastic bag of balls that looked to be made of moldable clay. She looked at the plastic bag curiously. Noticing her interest, the man explained.

"Those are incapacitants. You can take one ball and press it flat and put it on the back of someone's neck, where their chip is, and it'll shock 'em real good. Knock 'em out and render their chip fried for a short amount of time. There'd be no alarm set off. You could hand deliver them, or shoot them from this gun."

He pulled out a small pistol and showed her how to load the balls into it. Alii smirked and picked it up, examining it. She put it back into the case and nodded. The man smiled and closed the two cases and relocked them. Alii handed him a card with an account number on it. The account held the money that was required for payment that he could transfer the money from. He transferred the unlocking mechanism from himself to her, scanning her chip and erasing his own from the memory.

"They're yours now.. Shoot me another message if you need me. Good luck."

The man gave a small nod, Alii doing the same, then she picked up both cases, turning on her heel and exiting the warehouse. Alii loaded the two briefcases into the storage compartment of the maglev, the display and lights coming back on, then climbed back onto it, checking the time left before her chip switched back to public mode. Only 45 minutes remained. She cursed and leaned forward, the engine roaring as she sped back to the apartment in record time. Turning into the passageway, she soared through the hall and into the landing bay, quickly turning it off and unpacking the bike.

15 minutes left.

She took the cases out and ran through the passageway back into the bedroom, opening the compartment under the chest. She put them into the compartment, then left it open, taking the blade from the sheathe and setting it on the bed. Alii pressed a button on the collar of the suit she was wearing and held out a hand. The suit shivered, then began to recede, moving towards her hand and coalescing into a single sphere, about the size of a tennis ball. A green light blinked then turned off, making the ball look nothing more than a metal paperweight. Alii put the collapsed suit and blade into the compartment and closed it, feeling satisfied.

* * *

I woke up, blinking in the dark room. The memories of last night flooded my memory and I reached up to rub my eyes, groaning. A dull burning in my stomach alerted me to the fact that Alii hadn't had anything cold to drink all night. I cursed and bolted out of my bed to the kitchen, filling up a glass with cold water and ice and chugging it. I drank a few glasses, cursing Alii mentally. She simply growled at me and curled up inside the dark corners of my mind.

Checking my display, I saw I had no new messages that morning. Tapping on Samantha's name, I sent her a message asking if we could hang out today. I needed some girl time after Alii's midnight escapade to get supplies. Closing the screen, I began to take food out of the fridge for breakfast, pulling out fruit and yogurt. I grabbed a bowl and spoon from the cabinets, then poured some strawberries, pineapple, melon, and blueberries into the bowl, covering it with vanilla yogurt. I took a mouthful, smiling at the swirl of flavors and quickly finished the entire bowl, scraping the sides for every last bit. A light blinked on above my arm, alerting me to a new message. Putting the bowl and spoon into the sink, I opened the display to see a new message from Samantha saying that she'd love to get lunch with me. Typing back a reply, I agreed and we set a time and a place for a few hours later.

Using the remaining time in the morning, I got some exercise in and Alii briefly woke up to do some combat training. As the hours ticked by, I became more and more relaxed, letting all other thoughts fall away until my mind was blank. The alarm went off from my display, startling me back into reality. I took a shower and got dressed, choosing a black and grey sundress and flats to wear for the lunch date. Forcing my ears and tails back before I left, I grabbed my bag and walked out of the apartment, the platform taking me down the building and to the ground floor where Mr. Barrian stood guard with Linoone.

"Have a good afternoon, Ms. Shiranui."

"You too, Mr. Barrian. I'll see you this evening."

Mr. Barrian tipped his hat towards me and I smiled back as I walked out of the lobby. Turning towards the cafe we had chosen, I began to hum one of the more popular songs that had been shuffled into my workout playlist this morning. The holographically-projected artificial sky was glowing a beautiful pale pink and there seemed to be a general feeling of happiness emanating from everyone I passed. The walk to the cafe went quickly and I walked inside to see that Sam hadn't arrived yet. I went to the counter and ordered a passionfruit bubble tea and found a table that would comfortably seat two.

Sitting down, I pondered how Alii would manage the assassination, being careful to keep my feelings in check lest the chip in my neck pick them up. The chip was there to keep every citizen in line, able to watch through the eyes of a person and read emotion. I sipped on the bubble tea, feeling the cool drink slide down into the fire burning in my stomach, quenching the fire there. Getting lost in the labyrinth of thought, I was startled when Samantha sat down in front of me.

"Hey, Ari! Sorry I'm late. I got held up in traffic."

The wavy haired girl in front of me smiled apologetically. Her normally brown hair had been changed to dirty blonde at the ends. She was a nice girl, although a bit naive.

"It's alright. Did you do something different to your hair? The ends look a bit lighter. I like it," I said, smiling back.

"I did! I decided to do sort of a gradient thing. It was all the rage a few years ago and I recently saw some pictures from them and decided to try it out! Isn't it just adorable?"

Sam's brown eyes glittered in excitement as she chattered about finding a salon that would do it for her and the whole process, all the while petting her Pichu who cooed happily. I smiled, inwardly wishing that I had gotten my own partner, but because I already was part Ninetales, I felt that I had enough to take care of. Not to mention all of my...other hobbies. I smiled and nodded at all the right times to make Sam think that I was listening. Thoughts of the contract clouded my mind, making it difficult to concentrate on what she was saying.

"Ari, are you okay? You seem kinda spaced-out."

Sam looked at me in concern. I cursed mentally, not realizing I had slipped up.

"No, no, I'm alright. Just have had a lot on my mind. I got a new modeling contract and I'm hoping that it all goes well. This could make or break my career."

Sam took the bait and ran with it. It wasn't a lie that I had gotten a new contract, and this one was my biggest one yet, but I wasn't actually all that worried about it. I knew that I would be alright. There was a reason I was the top model. Sam asked me questions about who the photographer would be, the theme, who the contract would be for, and even questions about what outfits I liked to wear in photo shoots.

We talked for a long while, about all different kinds of topics, the only reprieve being when we ordered food. The fake sky outside turned from pale pink to a pale green and was shifting to purple by the time we decided to say goodbye. We got up from the table and left the cafe, promising that we would have to do this again another time. I walked back to my apartment complex, making it back to my home and kicking my shoes off at the door. The floor flipped under my shoes and when it settled again, the shoes were gone and back in my closet. I let my ears and tails grow back into existence, sighing happily. I eyed the bed by the fire and decided to let Alii have control for the night.

"Computer, switch to private mode. Admin Shiranui."

I woke up Alii and negotiated with her that she would not go out tonight and I'd let her have control in her true form. She sniffed, annoyed, but relented. Relinquishing control to Alii, I let her shift into her true form. She knelt down on the floor and took a deep breath, letting the change overcome her. Her body began to break and remold itself into that of an animal. She groaned with pain, trying to absorb it, but I felt the agony too as each bone rearranged itself. This continued for about a minute, the pain moving down our body until it was over with. In the place of the human with animalistic features instead lay a silver Ninetales with red eyes. Alii got up and moved throughout the apartment, going to the combat room and practicing there for a bit, burning a variety of objects into ashes. After exhausting herself, she went back to the living room and to the bed by the fire, laying down and falling asleep with her head tucked into her tails.

The last thing I remember from that night was a thought from Alii…

"You can't control me forever…"

* * *

 **Hey all! I hope you all liked this chapter! It's so good to finally be able to write again and figure out where I want to go with this. Anyway, read and review! If you guys are confused with anything, leave a review with questions or comments and I'll go back and add more explanation! Thanks!**

 **~Bree**


	3. Chapter 3

Alii's POV…

I peered through the binoculars, adjusting the lenses until the image was perfect. I scanned the fences surrounding the large building ahead, looking for a way in; a chink in the armor. Floodlights scanned the surrounding areas, the guards behind them lax and unworried. There hadn't been enough crime recently to warrant them to be alert, and after tonight there still wouldn't be if everything went smoothly. Moving to look at one of the fences, I saw an area of fence that wasn't well kept. Rust dotted the links and it was directly behind a potential hiding spot. I smirked, finally finding the perfect place. I put down the binoculars and estimated the distance to the target area and the time it would take to run to it.

The other girl in my head paced back and forth nervously within our mindscape, distracting me. I shoved her into a cage in the back of my mind and she screamed at me for doing so. Tonight was my night. There could be no distraction. Her screams were nothing more than a slight buzz and could be tolerated. Shaking her from my thoughts, I focused back on the task at hand, my tails twitching in excitement. I packed everything up into its bag or pocket and readied myself to run.

Watching the floodlights for a minute longer to ensure my plan of action, I jumped up and ran to my target, my suit simulating the surrounding grasses and bushes. I stopped for a second, letting the floodlight in front of me swipe past, then ran closer, ducking into a nearby bush. The fence stood right in front of me, a faint hum of power emanating from the metal. Frowning, I calibrated my suit to conduct electricity. The scales flipped and shifted for a few seconds then stilled. Still crouching, I reached out a hand to touch the fence, only feeling the smooth metal and a faint pulsing as the electric current moved along the metal. Reaching for one of my pockets, I pulled out a thin tube, twisting it until a small blade emerged, the edge glowing bright orange with heat. I put the edge of the blade against a link in the fence and cut through the metal cleanly. I sliced a small passageway in the fence, pulling the cut metal away from the rest and hiding it in a nearby bush. Returning the blade to its pocket, I slipped through the hole in the outer defenses easily, coming to crouch behind a stack of crates.

I glanced around the side of the crates to look for guards, but found that I couldn't see anything. The crates obscured the rest of grounds, providing excellent cover, however I couldn't keep tabs on the guards. I sighed quietly, reaching for another pocket and pulling out a small black sphere about the size of a marble. I pressed a button on the top and six small legs extended out from the ball, a lens emerging from the front.. I pressed a spot on my arm, a display from the suit appearing and showing the view from its camera. I set it down on the ground and laid my hand on my thigh, using my hands to control the drone, each finger tapping to indicate a direction. The walking camera moved out from behind the crates, and began making its way towards the building, coming to stop at a corner of the crates blocking my view. From here the drone could see the guards patrolling this area. A pair of guards walked by, two men in dark colored armor, a pair of Houndoom prowling beside them. The guards continued by, none the wiser. Scanning the rest of the area with the drone, I ensured that there were no other guards coming and instead turned to the building ahead. The angle was too low to correctly judge distance, so I turned the drone to crawl up the crate. Settling into a crack, I stopped the drone and turned to the building, looking for a way in.

The doors would be too easily traced. The lowest window was at least a storey above the ground, proving difficult. I could reach it but it would be difficult to find a hold. There weren't any lights on, but that didn't mean that there wasn't someone in there. I flicked the display showing the drone's perspective and the screen changed to show an infrared version instead. I had been correct. There was a person in there, leaned low over the desk, intently working on something. I frowned, turning the drone towards the next window, a bit farther away. No one seemed to be in that room. I bit my lip and turned off the display and temporarily shutting down the drone. Inhaling deeply, I let out the breath slowly, letting out a small bit of fire from my mouth, then set to the task of getting in the window.

I dashed around the edge of the crates and stopped at the corner, listening for incoming footsteps for a second, then ran to the wall, tapping a button on each wrist, then tapping one on each ankle. The palms and soles of the suit began to glow a soft blue and I touched my hand to the wall, the suit sticking to the concrete like a magnet. I lifted a foot and moved it to the wall as if I was to climb a ladder and began to move up the wall. I reached the window, disengaging a hand and pulling out a clay ball, affectionately named Disruptors. The Disruptor would interrupt the electric current controlling the window and allow it to be opened manually. Flattening the Disruptor against the glass, there was a quick buzz and then silence.

Checking over my shoulder, I saw that the two guards that had walked by earlier had returned and would be back in approximately a minute. I immediately set to work, pressing my hand to the glass and allowing the magnets to adjust to the surface. I pushed up on the glass, forcing the window up wide enough to let me through and into the dark office inside. I pulled my feet up closer to me and put my hands through, my weight supported completely by my toes. Grabbing the edge, I pulled myself through and dropped onto soft carpet, rolling back up and pulling the window back down, leaving a slight crack. The guards passed under the window, oblivious.

I breathed a soft sigh of relief, allowing myself to relax a moment. The other girl in my head had practically fainted and was hyperventilating inside her cage. I rolled my eyes mentally at her, then focused back on the office. A desk of dark wood, a chair of shiny faux leather, and various shelves filled with books and files. The nameplate on the desk said "Capt. Ryan Jenson, Military Justice." A few family pictures dotted the desk, but otherwise the work surface remained tidy. I frowned, hoping for a bit of information, but that would have to be for another time. I walked to the door, putting my ear against the wood, closing my eyes. The sound of footsteps passed in front of the door, but continued down the hallway to the office adjacent to this one where an exchange between the guard and the occupant inside took place. I couldn't hear much, but guessed from the retreating footsteps that the guard had moved on. I listened for a few more seconds then opened the door, hoping the it's hinges were well balanced so as to remain undetected.

I opened the door a small amount, scanning the hallway quickly, and spied a camera in the corner, a small, white lens that swiveled to survey both sides of the corridor. I watched the camera rotate to look the opposite direction then dashed to the corner, a blind spot beneath it. I looked down the hallway, looking for air vents. There was one about halfway down the corridor at the top of the wall. I watched the camera above me until it turned away from the corridor then ran to the wall just under the air vent, tossing up a mini camera not unlike the one I had used earlier. The small sphere managed to fit inside the slats of the vent and I heard a small metallic thunk as the sphere landed in the shaft. I ran to the other side of the hallway, to the next camera. Hiding under it, I heard another guard about to round the corner. I cursed under my breath, eyeing the camera above me, then made a dash towards the nearest office. I stealthily nipped inside, shutting it behind me and scanning the room quickly.

I had chosen the wrong room to hide in. A man in a military uniform looked up, alarmed. I cursed again, and had to think fast. No chance to reach him, I focused on his eyes, feeling my own heat up and glow. Forcing my will against his, I only spoke one word:

"Sleep."

The soldier's eyes drifted shut and he slumped onto his desk, unconscious. I let out a breath I had been holding and immediately felt the effects of what I had done. My head pounded and my body felt weak. The other girl screamed in agony, taking the brunt of the pain, a side effect of using that ability. I only used it in desperate situations for this very reason. Pushing through the pain, I put my ear to the door, listening for the guard's footsteps. The guard was closer. I quickly surveyed the room, choosing to hide in a corner that wouldn't be seen from the door's perspective. Not a second to spare, I squeezed into the corner just as the guard knocked on the door.

"Everything alright in there, Mr. Ramsey?"

There was no answer, as the man in question lay on his desk, snoring softly.

The door knob turned as the guard announced he was coming in. I felt my palms heat up in anticipation of being caught. A particularly loud snore escaped the office worker's mouth and I heard the guard chuckle.

"Another late night. He'll have a crick in his neck in the morning. Goodnight, Mr. Ramsey."

The guard closed the door quietly, locking it behind him. I waited a few more seconds and then sighed in relief, the flames encasing my palms disappearing and cooling. That had been close, but was expected. I walked over to the door again, turning it to open the door, then locked it again, going back into the corridor. The same routine continued, hide under the cameras, run to the air vents and deposit one of my own cameras, run to the next, until I found the office of the Military Commander in Chief. This one would be where I had to go inside and deposit a camera. Checking to make sure there were no guards, I ran to the door, turning the knob, except that this office was locked. A fingerprint scanner next to the door blinked at me, mocking me. I frowned and looked around. There was no way to get a fingerprint other than at its source.. This would have to be dealt with later.

I continued down the halls until I had circled the entire building and come back to the office I had arrived in. I slipped back inside silently, shutting the door and locking it back. I checked the time left before private mode ended. Only fifteen minutes left. This would be very difficult. I checked out the window, making sure there were no guards, then opened it, climbing out and activating the surface magnets. Once safely perched, I pulled the glass back down and plucked the Disruptor off the glass and put it back in my pocket. I turned down the magnets until I slid down the wall and onto the ground, then took off running back to the crates I had first arrived at. I crawled back through the fence, picking up the fence piece I had cut and placed it back into its hole, using a bit of fire to melt the metal back together hastily. Watching the lights, I dashed around them and back to my original hiding place outside the building and slid onto my maglev, speeding back home.

 **Well, here's chapter three! Read and review please! Love you all!**

 **~Bree**


	4. Chapter 4

Ari's POV…

I glanced at the digital invitation in my hand, a small tablet of plastic that announced my name and title in elegant calligraphy against a parchment looking background. Alii had gone through some trouble with her contact to get this invitation and it was paramount that I play this part perfectly. But the time to act was not for another few hours. For now, all I had to do was enjoy the parade that showcased the veterans of our military. Every year there was a showcase of the best of the best, a competition of sorts that pitted them against each other. The one who came out on top would be promoted and would be showered in gifts from the community. It was a good time for the community to enjoy the peace and tranquility that came from the unending sense of safety.

I put the tablet on the island in the kitchen then went into my room to change into more sensible clothes than what I had been wearing, sweatpants and a long tee. I changed into a white t-shirt, dark skinny jeans, and black combat boots. Checking my reflection in the mirror, I grabbed my bag, left the apartment complex and walked towards the park. All this week there were Pokemon and people working day and night, setting up the different obstacle courses that the soldiers would be subjected to. I looked at all of them in awe while Alii mentally analyzed them, calculating whether or not we would be able to get through them. She came to the conclusion that we would be able to do most of them without much problem just by themselves, but when forced to do them one after the other, that would become more of a problem. I felt the respect for the veterans radiate from Alii for a moment before she shut me out, not wanting me to feel what she thought of them. I found a place on the hill surrounding the obstacles with little trouble and leaned back into the grass, looking at the currently pastel green sky.

I stayed that way for a while, watching the air traffic and the Pokemon that flew overhead with little interest. I drifted off into a light doze, letting Alii listen for a change. However, I was soon woken by a cold, wet nose that touched my cheek. My eyes opened quickly to see a giant orange dog with a fluffy, white mane and tail looking down at me. I looked at him curiously until he fell back on his haunches and allowed me to sit up. His trainer called his name and he bounded away, glancing back at me once more. The trainer apologized but I simply smiled and waved at him. I looked around me to see that the hillside had filled up considerably and the sky had darkened in preparation for the event. The lights on the obstacles came on, one by one, lighting up the facets of the metal and plastic.

I heard music in the distance, a sign that the caravan of soldiers would soon arrive. A steady tune slowly drifted closer and the sound of marching feet could be heard in time to the music. As they grew nearer, those closest to the aisle where they would pass through began to crowd along the edges, a wall of people forming between the soldiers and I. I smiled but kept my seat, waiting for the festivities to begin. The veterans made their way inside to the sound of the marching tune and the cheering of the community.

After every soldier had fallen into position in front of the obstacles, a group of older men and women walked to the podium in front of the crowd. These were the military officials that controlled the entire Military Tier, including the Commander in Chief. Alii perked up at the sight of the group of officials coming to the podium, analyzing each one and picking out potential weaknesses. Each officer stood in front of a chair, nine in all. The one in the middle came forward, an older gentleman with graying hair and a number of badges and medals on the front of his uniform. He said a few words about the upcoming event and how the soldiers would pit themselves against each other in friendly competition but there would be prizes given to those that excelled in the different parts of the course. I tuned him out a bit until Alii growled in our mindscape and reminded me that this man was the one that we would need to kill. This was the Commander in Chief. I looked at him closer and wished for the millionth time that we hadn't led the life we did then.

"...and without further ado, I welcome all of you to the Proving Grounds of MT. Soldiers, may your mind be sharp and your feet swift as you encounter obstacle after grueling obstacle. Good luck!"

There was a shout of solidarity from the ranks of soldiers and veterans as the Commander in Chief and his advisors left the stage, then they began to split off into groups, stretching and preparing themselves for the different obstacles. Some required balance, some strength, some speed, some grip strength, and some a combination of all of them. I watched all of the soldiers running with mild disinterest until a single one caught my eye. He was preparing for one of the speed obstacles, bouncing up and down on his toes and shaking out his arms. When it was finally his turn to run, he sped through the course with no problem, easily setting a time more than a minute faster than any other run that night. He continued to the balance course, looking completely at ease on the ropes and bars that were at least thirty feet in the air. He dominated almost every course; the only ones he had trouble with was the ones that required pure strength. He seemed to prefer strategy over brute strength. By the end of the night, I had only watched him, but didn't understand why. He captivated not only my attention, but Alii's as well. She was constantly aware of him. We would have to pay more attention and find out who this person was in order to deduce why he had this effect on us.

The events all finally ended and I eagerly awaited the results, hoping that the mystery soldier would end up on top. He had done well in all of the obstacle courses but fell back after the speed course, even though I could plainly see that he could have done better. The top ten were chosen to engage in hand to hand combat. The mystery soldier was part of the top five. If his performance up until now was any indication, he would excel here too. I wasn't disappointed. He flitted around his opponents, throwing punches and kicks, dodging attacks and blocking them with ease. He worked his way into the top fight where I found myself sitting forward, as if on the edge of my seat. I wanted him to win, even though I had no clue who this man was. He faced a man twice his size who had beaten all of the rest of his opponents to a pulp. He looked to be in complete control of the situation but when it came down to it, he switched tactics. He was now letting himself be beaten. The monster in front of him began to break through the smaller soldier's guard. Eventually the soldier cried out that he yielded to the behemoth and limped out of the ring. As soon as the bigger soldier roared in victory and all eyes turned away from the mystery soldier, he stood up straight and walked confidently out of the area and to the infirmary where I lost track of him. The celebration ended and the behemoth of a man was given a medal for his efforts, even though I felt the other soldier deserved it more. The names of the top three soldiers were put up on a screen.

Leon Elliott

Ryden Wansworth

Carter Jenkins

Ryden Wansworth was the name of my mystery soldier. I would have to find his file later. Right now though, it was time to assume another identity. I picked up my stuff and headed back to my apartment, reaching it quickly. I picked up the invitation and confirmed the dress code, black tie. Going to my closet, I tapped on the screen by the door to choose what kind of clothes would show. Personalizing the closet, the door whirred for a moment before opening to show a walk in closet full of evening dresses. Varying shades of colors surrounded me and I grinned, running my hands along the different fabrics. I looked through all of the dresses until I found the perfect one, a strapless one that faded from red to fiery blue at the bottom, the dress sparkling as if it was made of flame itself. I snickered to myself, thinking that I could wear flames themselves if I wanted to. I pulled the dress out of the closet and put it on, twirling in the mirror. I found a pair of sensible heels and a clutch to go with it. Walking over to a jewelry box, I pulled out a pendant that looked to have a blue flame dancing inside. I clasped it around my neck, the warm stone resting on my skin comforting me and Alii both. I also pulled out a pair of black, elbow length gloves that glowed blue for a short moment. These would take the fingerprints from anyone who touched my arm or shook my hand and catalog it for future use. This would be how I got the fingerprints of the Commander in Chief that Alii needed. I looked in the mirror and smiled at my reflection, enjoying the feeling of being pretty. I made a few last minute adjustments, picked up the invitation, then headed out the door, the limousine from Alii's contact waiting out in front of the building. I stepped in and enjoyed the ride to the reception in relative silence.

The limousine pulled up in front of the mansion where the reception would be and I got out, the paparazzi snapping pictures and I turned my smile towards them, immediately adapting the runway walk from my modeling career. I normally wore a wig when I was in photo shoots so there would be no way that anyone would recognize me, especially not without my ears and tails. I walked up to the door, handing my invitation to the bouncer and anxiously waited for him to find my name. He scanned down the list then checked off a name and smiled brightly at me.

"Welcome, Mrs. Maywell. Have a good night."

I sighed in relief and thanked him, heading inside the opulent mansion. Two doormen opened the doors for me and I almost stopped, in awe of the foyer inside. Men and women in beautiful outfits clustered underneath a glittering chandelier, a few Chandelure even helping to light up the reception. Most everyone had their partner Pokemon with them, the women having dainty, cute ones that were as dressed up as they were, the men being soldiers and keeping their preferred partner with them, mostly Growlithes and other dog Pokemon. I wandered around the reception, enjoying the soft, ambient music that seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere. I smiled at everyone, especially the men, as my character was to be a temptress. I walked over to the bar, choosing to get a dainty goblet of white wine and linger around one of the large columns of the foyer. Quite a few men came over to strike up conversations with me to which I just smiled and answered them sweetly, trying to exude an air of mystery. The longer I stood there, the more men that came to flirt, the more women glared at me over flashes of crystal glasses and from behind whispers. I kept up my character, chatting up those who came near, taking the fingerprints from those who touched my arms in hopes of getting me to like them or even come home with them. I was in the midst of talking to a particularly persistent young man when I heard a hush settle over the crowd. I looked around and saw that the Commander in Chief stood above the rest of the crowd on the second floor.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Brenwood Military Parade Banquet. I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your contributions to the festivities today. It wouldn't have happened without contributions to the future and safety of our city and country. The showcase today was just a small taste of some of the best and brightest in our ranks. I hope you all enjoy the food and refreshments. Have a wonderful night!"

The Commander waved at the crowd as they erupted into applause and he walked downstairs. I walked from my post by the column and towards the Commander, much to the protest of one of the many suitors. I apologized and pushed his hand off my arm and weaved my way through the crowd. I reached the stairs and put on a bright smile just as he reached the bottom, putting out a hand to shake his own.

"Fabulous speech, sir. I can't wait to hear more about what you plan to do in the future."

The Commander looked at me in surprise and reached out to shake my hand. "Thank you, ma'am. I'm sorry, your face is not one that I recognize."

"Thynia Maywell, sir. I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier." I shook his hand firmly, making sure the glove had enough time to read his fingerprints. I smiled brightly at him to distract him from my glove that glowed ever so slightly as it processed the touch of the Commander.

"Well, Ms. Maywell, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the night."

I nodded and thanked him as he turned away and began to shake the hands of dozens of other people. I smirked slightly and weaved back through the crowd to my original post to see a lean young man with the stance of a practiced soldier. Brown eyes met mine and a smile tugged at his mouth as he looked me up and down. His short, military style haircut had grown out a bit and stuck out in the front in dirty blonde spikes. He put out a hand as I came closer, introducing himself.

"Ryden Wansworth, at your service."

"Thynia Maywell," I said as I shook his hand. A shock traveled up my arm and into my head, surprising Alii and me. I looked down at his hand and noticed it was covered in green scales. "Scales, Mr. Wansworth?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Simply cosmetic. It's all the rage. Gotta keep the ladies interested, if you know what I mean. Not to mention, it's great for scaring off all the weakling soldiers and newbies. Oh, you should see their faces and hear the rumors when they see the scales."

"I can imagine. I saw your match today. You did well until you got to the last fight, then you threw it. I could see you were fine when you walked out of the ring. He may have been hitting you pretty hard, but I watched your other fights. You could have easily taken him down."

Ryden's eyes flashed for a second, a look of anger spiking for a moment.

"You're right, I could have. I could have beaten him to a pulp and had him crying for mercy. I could take any person here on, even the Commander. I've done more time than he has and he's still just an arrogant politician. I've got a much better record than he does. Did he keep the country safe while off duty? No. Did he get assigned to cover the Commander himself once? No. Didn't think so."

I raised an eyebrow at him again and wondered just how much he had done and just how much he was going to tell me. This was my mystery soldier, but now that I had gotten so close to him, he didn't seem to be the perfect soldier to me. There was just something about him that was off. Something familiar. I shook my head and smiled, trying to calm him down.

"Would you like a drink, Mr. Wansworth? I can have a waiter fetch one for you," I said, even as I was reaching my hand up to signal one of the servants.

"No, that isn't necessary. And please, call me Ryden." He smiled at me, a dazzling set of white teeth that would have made any other girl melt. But he was my mission. Alii and I agreed that this man would be our way into the headquarters when things got tough.

"Alright, Ryden. I really should be going though. I have a long day tomorrow. Perhaps we could see each other again," I asked, batting my eyelashes at him. The lonely soldier took the bait and smiled arrogantly.

"We shall. It was good to meet you, Ms. Thynia Maywell." He took my hand and raised it to his mouth, kissing it, then releasing it.

"Have a good night, Ryden."

I returned a haughty smile and turned away from him, adapting my runway walk and continued out the door, calling for my limousine to be brought back. I got back in and went back to my apartment, changing once I was finally inside. I pulled the gloves off and opened up the jewelry box and put the gloves inside carefully, closing it and pressing a button before turning away to begin the process of data collecting. I collapsed on my bed, thinking of my mystery soldier and how I would one day soon, kill his superior, the Commander in Chief.

 **Well, thanks for reading everyone! Read and review! Hope everyone has a wonderful week!**

 **~Bree**


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